Whims of a Supercomputer
by The-Fantastic-Story-Writer
Summary: Perhaps Jeremie found the supercomputer far, far too early. Because of it, they paid the price of Aelita's freedom with their innocence. And then they met him, someone so pure and innocent that they all wanted him for their own.
1. Chapter 1

Code Lyoko – Whims of Death: A little too early

I made this some years ago, and I decided to put it up! It's tweaked a bit with the introduction of _Evolution,_ but is generally the same.

* * *

Jeremie Belpois was a nice guy. So when he snapped at Ulrich, it drew natural curiosity to the small teenager. Ulrich was pretty good at shadowing people, but he lost Jeremie before they even left campus. He groaned, pressing his head against the wall. He'd always thought that he and Jeremie were fairly good buddies, but now he wasn't so sure.

* * *

The next day, Odd arrived. He was loud, boisterous . . . and a hell of a stalker. No matter what Ulrich tried, he could _not_ shake Odd off long enough to go after Jeremie. Finally he told Odd what he was trying to do, and Odd simply gave him a dark smile and told Ulrich to leave the shadowing to him. Ulrich was naturally curious as to how his loud roommate could even dream of shadowing Jeremie, but had relented.

Sitting on the park bench, Ulrich realized it was going to rain. He thought about telling Jeremie and Odd that, but decided against it. So he watched as Jeremie left, giving him a narrow-eyed stare, even as his eyes never left the book he was studying (Chemistry ought to die a painful, slow death.) A few seconds later, he caught sight of . . . something or other leaping from one building to the next. He dismissed it as a cat, but when it reappeared, he realized it was his crazy roommate who landed on his feet, bursting into the covered entryway with a shiver. He eyed the blond as Odd grinned, squeezing out water from his jacket. Okay, so appearances were deceiving after all.

* * *

They were waiting for Jeremie the next time he showed up at the factory. Jeremie stopped and scowled at them both.

"What do you want?" His voice was slightly rough, signs that the 13-year-old was finally hitting puberty. Ulrich didn't answer him, instead offering him some of his favorite food as truce.

"I want to help." Ulrich said to him. Jeremie scowled, but allowed them to come with him.

* * *

Aelita sat on the strangely-shaped disc, bouncing to her feet when the familiar screen appeared, displaying an aggrieved Jeremie with two guys. She raised an eyebrow and smiled.

"So, this is the first time you've brought friends over to see me," Aelita drawled, grinning wickedly at him. Jeremie flushed like the cute boy he was, and she turned her attentions to the other boys. "And who are you?"

* * *

Odd swore quietly under his breath as he struggled to tame his mess of curly hair. Ulrich watched behind him, amused by his quiet swearing. He finally managed to make the untamed mess lie flat, and bounced out of the door after him, locking it securely. They passed by Sissi and Yumi, both of them arguing over something meaningless. When they passed, Yumi managed to get away by citing homework, using them as cover.

* * *

Jeremie had been frustrated at the addition to their numbers, but had wisely refrained from saying so, insisting that they enter Lyoko. Ulrich, however, was pleased that the blond would not be his only backup. They each stepped into a scanner, the warm light passing through their bodies and re-imaging them into another platform.

* * *

Yumi landed on her feet, taking a good look at her clothes as she did so. She was dressed in red and black leather from head to toe, thin lines of yellow forming little flower patterns on her hips, and an obi wrapped around her waist. She wore a pair of sharp _tessen_ fans on both hips, and what looked like a staff. Checking her shoes found her pulling out a nasty-looking dagger out of the boot before replacing it. Nearby, she caught sight of Ulrich, dressed in an amber-colored shirt under a black leather vest with a set of cargo pants in dark green. He was wearing a pair of black sneakers under that, and a set of lovely Katana were set parallel to his hips, the hilts red and black.

Odd was the unusual one. He looked like a purple/blond Dante before they gave him that sucky remake, thankfully with a shirt on. Along with a set of cat ears and a tail, he had handguns and knives and hand grenades, much to his great pleasure (Yumi would never tell him this to his face, but the thought of him with explosives put her in a cold sweat every time she thought of it.)

She pulled down the hood of her jacket, before blinking at the looks Ulrich and Odd gave her. Ulrich gestured at her face.

"You've got a tattoo," Ulrich said calmly. "It's a dragon on your right eye." He gestured to his own arm, where a thick, winding web of white and black detailed out a dragon of his own, in spiraling, sharp numbers. Odd has a unique one, a tapering set of codes, winding up his face from white to purple. Yumi shrugs and they're off, searching for Aelita. They cross paths with her, and Yumi gets a good look at her for the first time, rather than the brief explanation she got in the boiler room after she demanded to know what's going on. Aelita is dressed in a pink mini-dress and sheer white tights with a cutout on the back displaying the center of her tattoo. As they watch, she slays a disgusting-looking thing that screams as it dies. Her tattoo is a set of binary codes all over her body in black, but at the kill, they glow a dull red. All of them stared at her in disbelief. She manages a smile, though it is thin and vanishes rapidly.

* * *

_By the time they rescue Aelita from the supercomputer, they have paid the price with their innocence._

* * *

Yumi's grown her hair out, and has taken to wearing black turtlenecks that are wider at the top than at the brim to hide the scars on her neck. Ulrich is by this point the tallest boy in his martial arts class, and he no longer smiles, resentful of all those happy memories. Jeremie is silent and rude, with a cold with a bitter aura. He's the second tallest of the group. Odd is the shortest, but still technically 'tall'. He looks gorgeous, always keeping up with social fashion, and he hides his misery with bright smiles and fashion shows and music. Aelita is a block of ice poorly masquerading as a burst of sunshine. She wore Daisy Dukes and cropped t-shirts with thigh-high converse and smiles with a sharp edge. As the days went on, they were sick and disgusted of the world, and it seemed like nothing would ever make this world right again.

* * *

_And then they met _him_, someone so sweet and untainted by them that they all wanted him for their own._

Inevitably, however, he is broken beyond repair, despite all the things they did to protect him.

* * *

_And it's all their fault._


	2. William

Code Lyoko Whims of a Supercomputer

* * *

William hated this place already. He felt like an absolute dork, standing in front of the gate alone, waiting for his guide to be called. He had only been standing there for a few minutes, everyone else already gone. As he began contemplating the pros and cons of wandering around campus alone, a feminine voice floated into hearing.

"William Dunbar?" Her voice is cultured, with a touch of Japanese accent. He looks away from where he is readjusting the straps to his suitcase and manages a meek smile up at the beautiful, tall woman. Her long hair was curtained over her shoulders and melted into the black of her shirt and pants. Her skin was porcelain-white and briefly William thinks that if he touched her at all she would be cold to the touch. Expressionless black eyes roved over his short frame and he has to repress a shudder; it feels like he's being branded.

"Yes, Miss?" William says finally, as politely as he could. A brittle smile crosses her face briefly before it's gone.

"How polite," She murmurs softly; William thinks privately that she hadn't meant for him to hear. "I am Yumi Ishiyama," She introduces herself gently, offering a hand to shake his own. He shakes her hand briefly, noting that his initial assumption was right. Her skin was colder than a block of ice. "Unfortunately for your guide, he was asked last minute to chaperone a field trip, and I was only informed this morning. I apologize for the inconvenience." William manages a sunny smile at her, feeling strongly that this woman really could use it.

"It's quite alright," William said to her, watching as her shoulders slumped slightly. "I wasn't waiting long." She smiles at him again, and it's a little softer, more glass than ice. She gives his shoulder a squeeze.

"Well, you've been carrying those around long enough. Let's get you to the dorms, and I'll show you around." She takes up his small suitcase, pulling a key out of her front pocket. "This is your room key," Yumi tells him, and she starts with a tour of the boys' dorm, before going to the girls' dorm and informing him that after nine, the girls' dorms were out of bounds for any male who did not have family in the building.

". . . And here we host the clubs. Any in particular you might want to continue in?" Yumi asks him, and William scans the list with quiet curiosity. There was no fencing clubs to his great disappointment, but there was a martial arts club.

"I'd like to continue in this one," William tells her, and for the first time, a ghost of a true smile flits across her face.

"Martial arts," She said softly. William decides that perhaps she is afraid of speaking sharply. "Are you any good?" William thinks about that.

"I'm a 4-Dan," William admits quietly. Yumi looks impressed, if her smile is any indication.

"That's quite good," She answered him, walking forward. "The club meets weekly, in both the morning and evening." She says, pushing open a door.

Stepping into the classroom, William is greeted by the sight of a lanky brunet smashing a yellow-belt into the mats. There was a black belt wrapped tightly around his waist, but the ten yellow stripes are what catch his attention. The tall teen turns amber eyes onto them after helping up the other boys, moving with a grace and ease of a predator. William feels clumsy just looking at him.

"Oh, who is this?" The boy's voice is friendly, and on cue, William bows to greet him.

"William Dunbar, 4-Dan," William says firmly, surprised when a soft hand ruffles his hair easily. He straightens, and the first thing he sees is a warm smile on the boy's lips.

"Mm, how polite," The boy says, before his lips curve up into a grin. "Why can't you be so polite?" He calls over his shoulder with a sigh. "Ulrich Stern, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." The newly named Ulrich ruffles his hair again, drawing a blush to his face.

"The pleasure's all mine," William answers shyly, cheeks red. Ulrich chuckles at his shy demeanor, before sending him on his way with a flyer.

* * *

Yumi's standing outside, checking the time on her phone. She looks up and he gives her a small smile which is quickly returned with a slightly strained one of her own. They wrap up the tour, and Yumi promises to introduce him to some of her friends after classes are over.

* * *

He's standing in the courtyard, waiting for Yumi, his uniform clutched to his chest, when he hears a slight sound of amusement. Ulrich is behind him, his own uniform in a plastic bag.

"Waiting for Yumi?" Ulrich asks with a slight grin. William blushes and nods, wondering if it's normal for him to crush on a guy, even one as good-looking as this one. "She's probably explaining to the others about you, so I'll show you where we meet up." He gratefully allows Ulrich to show him where they would be, and true to Ulrich's prediction, Yumi is lecturing three other people.

". . . so be nice, you hear?" She says to them. Turning around, she blinks and smiles warmly at the pair.

"Just finished," Ulrich tells William in a stage whisper. "Perfect timing, eh?" William giggles, caught off guard. Yumi manages a mock glare, before gently drawing William away to introduce him to the other three.

"Guys, this is William Dunbar. William, this is Jeremie." Jeremie glances up from his laptop, sliding his glasses back up his nose. He's almost as tall as Ulrich, and wears slacks, converse, and a sleeveless blue hoodie. Jeremie flashes him a quick smile before offering a hand.

"Charmed," Jeremie tells him, shaking his hand slightly. His skin is warm, a sharp contrast to Yumi and Ulrich.

"This is Aelita." Aelita gives him a kiss on the cheek, her pink hair sharp against the green tank top and bright yellow Daisy Dukes. Her sandals are on the floor next to Jeremie's seat. She's cold too, reflecting happiness rather than radiating it.

"So nice to meet you," She tells him softly.

"And this is Odd." Yumi says finally, gesturing to the Italian boy he'd seen at lunch earlier that day. He had helped him navigate the social mess in the lunch room.

"I met you earlier," William recalls. "Thanks for the help." The blond simply grins at him, purple-denim-clad legs stretching out on the bench.

"Always happy to help out the cute ones," The blond quips, making blood rush to William's face. William squeaks, looking down, even as Odd laughs, kissing both his cheeks, "Especially when they blush like you." Ulrich intervenes, freeing the blushing teen from the gorgeous Italian.

"No teasing the new boy," Ulrich says softly, gently rescuing William. He hides the shiver he feels from Ulrich's cool skin. In a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment, the entire school shuddered, rippling a clear sheet through everything. He blinks, but when Ulrich leads him away, he follows, clutching his uniform tighter to his chest. Ulrich walks with as much grace as he fights, and William briefly wonders what on earth they eat to look so good. He is informed of the rules as they change, and William notices the scars that cross his arms and back. Ulrich notices where he's looking, and he smiles sheepishly.

"Training accidents," Ulrich tells him, in answer to the unasked question. William nodded, blushing shyly.

On the mat, Ulrich's friendliness vanished, and William swallowed dryly. _I hope I make it out of this alive_. William glanced at his opponent, feeling secure in his knowledge that his opponent was most certainly a 10-Dan fighter. It was a brutal fifteen minutes, dodging and counterattacking when he had the chance. Ulrich was noticeably weaker on the defensive, and William tended to counter with fierce knockout hits. Ulrich's smile soon became a challenging grin, and William ends the match with a successful jump kick which knocks the teen to the floor. Ulrich stands up, breathing heavily, and offers the raven haired teen a vivid grin.

"The victor," Ulrich announces to the group, who is openly staring. Ulrich ruffles his hair and William blushes, both from the attention and the casual touch. William is set to teaching the newer students' basic defense and dodging techniques, something that soon makes him sleepy. Ulrich glances back at him and gives him a warm, two-fingered salute which William returns with a one-finger salute that makes Ulrich grin.

* * *

The next morning finds William waiting for Ulrich, already changed into his uniform and practicing in the empty training room. Ulrich comes in unnoticed, but when he gets close enough, William, startled by his appearance, reflexively pins him down. Ulrich raises an eyebrow, and William blushes scarlet, apologizing repeatedly. Ulrich simply chuckles at his sheer embarrassment, and instead asks to see that move again. William obeys his words, flushed pink.

* * *

It wasn't long before he settled into a routine. Classes were easy . . . and boring. Lunches were spent with the ever quirky and beautiful Italian boy, on occasion with Aelita. Yumi was his biology partner, and Ulrich his mentor. William only saw Jeremie in late afternoon, after school had ended, but he was so nervous about being near him that Aelita had been forced to drag him into the room some days until he relaxed within the same room with Jeremie. It never helped that Jeremie seemed constantly amused by his fear.

Along with this, Ulrich and Odd found a fondness for teasing him. At one point, Odd had kidnapped him from study hall, playing an evil game of cat and mouse that ended with William wearing a dog collar for an hour. Ulrich had taken him from Odd, but had not bothered removing the collar, something William had protested later, once he was out of the collar. Ulrich had simply ruffled his hair and told him that he was too cute to waste, something that had left his cheeks alight for hours on end. Then one day Ulrich had shown up, with the rest of his football team, in his study hall. The class was sort of an unofficial art class with how many people were in the art club. William, like the rest of the artists stared at the group, until one wickedly grinning Ulrich sat on the empty desk in front of him and his blank sketchbook. He set himself in front of the blushing teenager, pulling off his jersey to leave himself in a white tank top, damp with sweat. The other artists whooped and catcalled to him, smirking at his embarrassment. The other boys followed suit, picking and choosing as they pleased. William ended up sketching Ulrich as he chatted with the other boys, noticing that nothing they said seemed to make the internally resentful boy laugh. Finally, when the teacher left, one of the boys checked his phone and gave a cheer, talking about how he was getting laid tonight. William couldn't help it.

"What, have you got a date with your right hand?" William muttered quietly. It wasn't quite soft enough, as Ulrich heard the sarcastic commentary and burst out laughing, drawing startled attention to them both. William on the other hand, was entranced with the way Ulrich laughed, clear and bright, nothing like the way he acted now. He added the slight flush of red that dusted Ulrich's tanned shoulders and cheeks, shifting the curve of his mouth upwards and the slope of his nose a touch more straight, what could be seen from behind an elegant, large hand. Ulrich admired the image, and took it with him at the end of the study hall, pressing a chaste kiss to one of the raven haired boy's cheek. He chuckled again at the scarlet color of William's face, waving at him as he left.

* * *

It was soon habit to embarrass the poor little innocent teenager, who never failed to turn an attractive shade of pink at everyone's teasing. Even Jeremie occasionally partook in the teasing.

Even now with all he knew of them, he never knew what they got out of teasing him. But he learned soon to treasure these little gems.

* * *

_Because he soon learned everything has a price._

* * *

_And this price would be too high._


	3. Shattered

Code Lyoko Whims of a Supercomputer

* * *

William bolted upright out of bed, grasping a sheet in one hand, sweat trickling down his back. He panted for air, desperately trying to claw free of something that had deeply scared him. He could only vaguely recall the nightmare, something about him running from a monster he couldn't see. After a few minutes, he decided it was likely just a passing dream.

* * *

_But it wasn't_.

* * *

William woke up again, this time after a particularly violent nightmare featuring some monster that could have come out of a Grimm steampunk fairytale. He shuddered, remembering the torn flesh caught in the gears of the wheels, a vivid red eye full of hate, and torn, mangled mouths. He dug out the bag of sketchbooks Odd had given him a few days ago after finding out he'd run out, taking one of the black bound ones with trembling hands. He reached for his pencil, left innocently on the desk, before sketching furiously. In the end it looked a complete mess, but he nervously began to darken in some lines and erase others, until he finally got what he was looking for. Upon properly seeing the mess of lines, he snapped it shut in horror, before nervously peeking at it. Nope, the image was still there, grinning grotesquely at him in a twisted grin. He closed it and silently prayed that it would be the end of these nightmares.

* * *

_He didn't get what he wished for, and it wasn't long before his sketchbook was full of monsters, both real and not at all._

* * *

Odd glanced at the sullen, silent teenager as he moodily stabbed his potatoes, feeling uncannily reminded of Ulrich after the first mission to Lyoko. He settled comfortingly into William's side, offering his shorter friend a gentle hug. William managed a thin smile at him, before lapsing into a scowl at his potatoes.

Ulrich watched as after the club was over, William violently smashing his fists into the training dummies, hitting hard enough to scrape his knuckles against the firm wood interior. He shuddered slightly, not wanting to be on the wrong side of the raven-haired teen.

Yumi was surprised when William's normal conversations turned to one word answers and curt hellos. She simply pressed a small hand against his head, running her fingers through his hair, an act that was normally received with a slight whine and grumble, now met with silence and him leaning into her touch. Her worries deepened.

Aelita watched him discreetly, looking at his scowl, his lifeless demeanor, and she hugs him tight each day, hoping that Lyoko hasn't gotten to him somehow. But those lively eyes lost their spark, slowly but surely.

Jeremie was the one who found out his secret. William had begun to worry him, so one night he stayed up, acutely aware of William's rapid, shallow breathing from the other side of the wall. As he was about to drift off to sleep, a heartbreaking scream rang from William's side of the wall. Jeremie sat bolt upright, listening intently, hearing nothing through the thin wall but ragged sobbing and two words.

* * *

"_Please . . . stop._"

* * *

The next morning, Friday in fact, Jeremie sat across from William's room, waiting for him to leave. At precisely seven, William exited his room, stopping at the sight of Jeremie as he stood up. A small black sketchbook fell from fingertips, and Jeremie caught it, deliberately not looking at it. William takes it back, clutching it to his chest like a hateful but needed burden. Jeremie walks every step with him to the lunchrooms, offering his support in silence. William looks at him silently, but he says nothing, pressing a hand to his shoulder and squeezing tight. That brings a ghost of a smile to his face, and William finally fingers the sketchbook, before shoving it into his hands, cheeks burning with shame. Jeremie puts it in his bag.

"Later," Jeremie tells him firmly, taking his hand and leading him to the cafeteria. "Later, I'll look at it." He feels William relax and sigh in quiet relief, and he tightens his grip, grimly wondering if everything they cared for would break like William did.

After breakfast, William napped on the bench, his head resting on Jeremie's thigh as the youngest of the Lyoko warriors perused the depths of his hated sketchbook. Jeremie went through every page, taking care not to jolt the poor teen as he read, his despair growing ever stronger.

_I'm a monster. There has to be something really wrong with me to dream these things. What's wrong with me_?

This caption was under a picture of William, staring blankly in the mirror. Most of his face was obscured by the darkness, but what was there was terrified, the only color the very pale pink flush on his cheeks. Jeremie ran his fingers through William's hair.

"You're no monster," Jeremie whispers, and the slightly tense body relaxes all at once, as if William could see him reading this, even in his sleep. Jeremie finished going through the sketchbook before calling everyone, his fingers trembling as he dialed.

* * *

_Another precious item is broken, only this time it is far more delicate and exquisite than glass_.

* * *

It was nearing eight, and William just wished someone would _talk_. Finally, Odd wrapped his arms around him, murmuring a quiet apology. William breaks then, with an imperceptible shattering of his fears. He cries, curling into Odd's arms, feeling them rock him as he tearfully breaks down and begs for forgiveness.

* * *

_That night, he goes to bed. And for the first time in a long while, he sleeps without dreams_.

* * *

The next morning, William sat with Aelita, watching the brittle girl hum and sway left to right, her hair rippling slightly. She smiles at him, fragile and apologetic. He says nothing, but takes her hugs with some grade of comfort. William is quiet, nervous, and afraid to speak. Aelita spend that day with him, her fingers running through his hair for most of the morning. They rejoin the rest around ten, and there is no teasing, no joking as William is told everything. He hazily remembers his own part.

_He remembers sparks from wires as he cuts their connection to the bomb with an axe_.

_Sissi being smashed into a wall while defending the children stuck in the Gym with him_.

_Shaking as he jumps from the roof of one building to the next as his first monster chases after him_.

William looks up at them in sympathy, knowing that he too will be tasked with remembering what was better left alone, and he forgives them.

* * *

There's little change to his routine, though he now spends some of his free afternoons with Aelita, his fingers running through the maps that she pulls up. She watches him trace paths with his fingertips, silent with curiosity.

_I have changed  
I have changed_

William sits with Ulrich later, watching intently as Ulrich practices, seeing him more as a curve of life, of violent protection. He watches as Ulrich drives his fist into stone, breaking it.

_No shadows  
Just red lights,  
now I'm here to rescue you_

Odd balances his body on his hands, pushing up to spin in the air and land on the wooden beam with his feet, preforming a spectacular backflip off the beam, breathing rapidly. He turns away from it, flipping backwards over and over, until he can fly over the metal.

_You're screaming  
you're screaming  
Cover up with a smile I've learned to fear_

Yumi practices with some old wooden fans, spiraling in a slow circle.

_Come fire  
Come fire,  
Let it burn and love come racing through_

Jeremie sits with him, fingers flying over the keyboard as William watches him in quiet curiosity. He sees Lyoko, and for once, he admires it.

_I will move fast  
I will move slow  
Take me where I have to go_

He faintly smiles, his lips tipped into a slight grin.

_I'm still alive  
I'm still alive_  
_I can't apologize no_

He stepped into the scanner, watching it close around him slowly.

_I'm still alive  
I'm still alive_

* * *

They ended up in frosted tundra, sinking deep into snow as it crunched under their feet. William glances around, nervous until Jeremie's voice comes over the intercom that he has in his ear.

"William," Jeremie's voice is a soothing sound. "We're here." He almost sags in relief, but holds himself off long enough to look around, spotting a dark blur as it speeds towards him. He wishes he had a weapon, and just as suddenly as his thought, a heavy-looking scythe appears in his hands. He stares at it incomprehensibly, but holds it ready to strike, feeling completely alone. The blur stops, and Ulrich appears suddenly, standing there with a soft smile. William tentatively pokes at him with the weapon, and Ulrich allows him to, eyes sparkling with amusement that quickly frosts over. With Ulrich by him, he tentatively sidles to his side, allowing Ulrich to look him over. Ulrich glances down and takes note of his bare feet. William shrugs, not sure himself as he actually takes a look at himself. He's dressed in white, white, and white. There isn't a scrap of color on his clothes, and his weapon is made of some sort of gray glass. He admires Ulrich's tattoo while they wait for the others, seeing deep gouges and jutting bits of ice littering the ground around them. When Ulrich's fingertip touches his cheek, William nearly skewers him, still very jumpy at the whispered scuttling of metal feet all over the ice. He trembles slightly, letting him trace whatever it is on his face with silent trepidation.

"You look nice," Ulrich says finally, softly as he looks to the west, where the sun is setting in the distance, staining blue ice red and gold and pink. Yumi lands next, followed shortly by Odd and Aelita. "Is everyone ready to go?" Ulrich asks solemnly, receiving four nods in response. "Good. William, stay close to me." William obeys. He follows Ulrich as they ran towards one of the many gateways in the west. It was a smooth run, and William was luckily able to match Ulrich pace for pace, though he kept slightly behind him as to better slow down. A quiet groan came from the ground beneath him, so William and the others put on a quick burst of speed to end up near Ulrich, just in time to avoid falling into a sudden chasm. It groaned and screeched, the ice being devoured quickly by a massive monster as its jaws snapped shut. It gave a lonely-sounding whine before receding into the depths of the heavy mist. William shivered.

This was hell.

* * *

_Scratch that, this was worse than hell_.

William arrived to that conclusion no less than four seconds after he fought his first monster. It was tiny, faceless, and very pale, save for its one eye, giving the impression of a PVC bodysuit torn open on its body, with a jagged scar appearing on its face. Where its tiny legs meet into its sort-of torso, it squelches into bloody, pus-infected flesh. The mouth area tears open to scream, the small opening filled with layers upon layers of metal and jagged circuitry. It barely starts when William cuts it through, red splattering over his pale-colored clothes. The red sunk into his blade, and it glows on his body. He was afraid to open his mouth, so he simply shuddered, feeling Ulrich wipe away the liquid on his lower face. He says nothing, simply nodding at them to continue. They go on, and more of the Kankrelat horde swarms towards them. William lifts his scythe, and he swallows, fighting the urge to throw up. He is startled by a laugh, before he realizes it was him.

He's sure they think him crazy, but it's how he copes, how he always copes with horrible things. He quickly racks up a body count to rival Ulrich's, tearing through swathes of them with his scythe. They enter the nesting grounds, William plastered with blood all over his body. He is silent, following his mentor's gentle instructions as they lead up to the tower. By this point, William's weapon is a solid red, glowing more vividly than the sun. It pulses eagerly at the tower, which responds with a blue pulse of light in return. The others are shoved back; William stops, glancing back at them. They cannot get any closer, and he cannot go back to their side. He wonders why briefly, before a thin tendril of rotting flesh winds around his waist.

She's pretty, William decides hazily, observing her thin, gradient green-to-purple flesh. She's even prettier dead, black liquid spattering over his scythe and hair. Ulrich is by his side in an instant; but he doesn't notice, watching Aelita enter the tower. The rest of the trip is a dazed blur, and his focus only returns when they leave.

* * *

_That's when what he's done catches up to him_.

* * *

He's the first out of the scanner, throwing up in the trash can as the others exit and find their way to him, their hands running through his hair and reassuring him that they were alright, that what he had done was forgivable.

He'd never say it, but he didn't agree with them. Not at first. He ends up in Jeremie's dorm, the group of teens piled on the large bed that the genius somehow managed to wheedle out of the school. He curls into himself, trying to convince himself that it was all just a horrible, horrible, nightmare as the others pile around him, their voices washing away the fear.

* * *

_He doesn't succeed. Not at first. And then he wonders if he ever did, years after this is all over_.

* * *

The song is 'Still Alive' from the Mirror's Edge.


	4. Dangerous

Code Lyoko Whims of a Supercomputer

A/N: I'm a little disappointed at the lack of reviews, but oh well, I suppose it's good you read the chapters, right?

* * *

Saturday morning is greeted by the pale raven sitting on the windowsill; bare feet pressed against the glass as he mindlessly watches the sun rise as the first signs of life whisper from the bed. Odd is awake, slipping on a pair of jeans. When William finally glances away from the rising sun, he is greeted with a soft smile and gentle press of a finger to soft lips. Odd joins him at the sill, his warm feet meeting William's cold ones. William shivers slightly, but allows the warm items to rest on his own. He settles down with a small sigh, and they watch the rest of the sunrise in silence. It isn't very long before William finally manages to smile at him, a slight curve of his lips, more out of a sense of duty than actual happiness. Odd leans in and holds his hands, running a thumb over the back of his hand. There's a sympathetic smile on his lips.

"I threw up the first time." Odd's voice is a bare whisper, carried delicately to his ears. "I threw up a lot, and then I found gymnastics to distract me. Ulrich threw up too." The last statement was added in a conspiratorial whisper and paradoxically, the statement makes him feel better. "But he pushed himself further into martial arts and football." William listened silently, hoping something Odd said could help him too. "Aelita, she can't remember anything but Lyoko, so she plays music, because it's something that doesn't involve it in any way. Yumi sings a lot, but she's _awful_." William giggles, distracted by the comment. "Jeremie, he's buried himself in technology and computers. It's a lot easier for Jeremie to think of this as a chess game, or a video game than it is real life." William nods slowly. "Maybe you could find something to distract yourself too." William nods frantically, thinking that such a thing would be nice.

* * *

_Anything not to feel like a monster anymore._

* * *

The others begin to stir, and Ulrich joins their little party by the windowsill, offering a small touch of comfort by squeezing William's hand tight as a gesture of affection. William reciprocates those actions, holding onto him tightly as the rest wake and set their attentions on the silent teenager. He is resettled into the middle of the bed, all of them trying to offer comfort to the very thing they had tried to protect. It wasn't until the clock chimed six that any of them moved. William found himself left with Jeremie as the others left one by one to get changed. Jeremie stopped typing, and offered to accompany him to his room, even though it was only next door. William smiled weakly and took him up on his offer, glad that he wouldn't have to be alone just yet.

* * *

The showers were already full of life when William entered, filled with laughing, chatting teenage boys as they conversed about the latest games. William felt oddly disconnected, and Jeremie squeezed his shoulder in reassurance. He allows the brief contact before going off to shower.

One scalding hot shower later and William felt almost human again. He stepped out, surprised to see the boys waiting for him. All of them carry two cups of coffee and Odd offers him one, which is gratefully accepted. They walk to their usual spot, where the girls are waiting for them. Ulrich and Jeremie give their respective cups of coffee and for a few minutes it's silent save for the quiet sips of his coffee. Finally, William gave a soft smile at them all.

"Thanks," William says to them softly, excusing himself.

* * *

William sits at his desk, scribbling down answers to his most recent Trigonometry homework (which should totally die, by the way,) when his phone rings cheerfully. He snaps it up, placing it against his ear.

"Hello," William greets softly, receiving one in return from Ulrich. "Oh, nothing, just Trigonometry," William tells him, smiling as Ulrich complains about Chemistry. They chat briefly, before William can hang up. He grabs his uniform, and he leaves the room.

Ulrich is already changed, barefoot and practicing against one of the training dummies with fierce, measured strikes. The rest of his day was spent sparring with Ulrich (who no longer pulls his punches), until Odd came in and told them that dinner was ready.

* * *

_He simultaneously dreads and anticipates the next visit to Lyoko. In a twisted way, it fascinates him_.

* * *

The next time they enter Lyoko, they find themselves finding out by facing against a large monster in the sewer. Nobody knew it was there until it burst up from the ground in the center of the courtyard, drawing screams and alarms. It chases after them as they race through the tunnels to reach the factory. William helps Ulrich lower the heavy, rusted metal gate, and they barely manage to lock it in position when the monster smashes flat into it, crushing up against the sewer storm gate, screeching loudly.

* * *

They end up being the last ones virtualized, and find themselves in a scraggly set of mountains, identical duplicates of the monster they had been running from just a few moments ago swimming in the air. They don't attack; instead content to munch on the mountains themselves, but the boys didn't relent, running after the trio who were slightly ahead. William yelped, falling off into the chasm that suddenly breaks open. He hears Odd call his name, and he manages to call his weapon into his hands, burying the blade into the soft rock. He's jerked to a stop, and hangs there, terrified to move. Aelita's soon by his side, wings open wide and her hand offered out to him. He takes it, and she flies them both back to the top of the mountain where the others, pale and terrified, wait for them anxiously. They continue running towards the towers, keeping out a more careful eye for the massive wraiths now that they were actively attacking.

* * *

The next time William falls, he takes a blow for Yumi, the hit sending flying back. William's weapon is buried in the stone, protecting Yumi and leaving him defenseless. He curls up and summons all of his energy, hoping that his de-virtualization would be painless.

When he opens his eyes, there's a white and red smoke around his body and he's safely next to his companions, one hand holding onto his scythe. They look appropriately amazed, especially Aelita, who ruffles his hair, kissing his cheek in an attempt to make him smile. She succeeds, drawing a twitch of his lips upwards. They reach the tower unharmed, and with an alarming lack of monsters, to which Jeremie answered their unasked questions.

"That stunt with the Jörmungandr probably took most of his energy." Jeremie says, and the tapping of keys is the next thing they hear. "Hurry up," He warns. "XANA's recovering quickly," Aelita enters the tower swiftly, and the day rewinds, William finding he was listening to his Physics lecture all over again. He sighs and laments the fact, but doesn't argue with it, deciding that being alive was good enough.

* * *

_That night, he has his first nightmare since the memories_.

* * *

He's up and shaking when a tap on his door startles him deeply. He slides out of his bed, padding over to see Ulrich with a glass of water and his backpack. Ulrich holds up his cell phone, and William is flattered to see that Jeremie had sent the text. He allows Ulrich in and drinks his glass of water. They settle down comfortably, and he blinks when Ulrich curls up by the window seat, opening his book.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" William asks him curiously. Ulrich chuckles slightly, shaking his head.

"I can't sleep," Ulrich tells him finally. "I'm a chronic insomniac," Ulrich admits to him with a soft smile. "Now get some sleep for me, okay?" William wants to protest, but at the slightly stern look from Ulrich's amber eyes, he relents, Ulrich watching over him like a stone sentinel.

* * *

He wakes up alone, though Ulrich's textbook is still where he left it, innocent and open on the sill. He hears quiet conversation and the door opens to reveal Ulrich, who has his key card in hand. William is dressed, lacing up his sneakers easily. He smiles at Ulrich and Odd, who smile in return, Ulrich handing him a cup of coffee. He takes it like he did the previous time and he smiles once more, waiting for Ulrich to pick up his book.

* * *

His ass is freezing. He mildly comments that one day after a particularly nasty gym class outside, and Odd glances at it.

"Well, it's still a nice frozen ass," Odd offers cheerfully from his spot. William nearly chokes on his coffee while Aelita does a spit-take and Ulrich dies laughing, the bastard. Yumi does not deign to even look up. Jeremie is off doing a project, or he too would have put in a snarky commentary. He glares at Odd fiercely, lips twitching manically, before he gives it up as a lost cause and laughs at himself.

The days become sluggish and boring as they all anticipate the holidays. William knows he will be returning to an empty home. Ulrich and the others all promise to visit, and Odd even invites him over for Christmas. William smiles shyly, but declines the offer. He does not deserve such friends like them.

* * *

He shares a plane with Ulrich, the two playing card games with quiet companionship. They laugh and chat over simple things, and when the ride was over, Ulrich keeps him still, slipping a key into William's back pocket.

"Just in case," Ulrich says softly, his hand gently squeezing William's bicep. William does not protest; after all, Ulrich had given it to him freely. They split up at the gate; Ulrich to his parents, William to the manager of his grandfather's accounts. He enjoys the silent ride, dreading the reading of his grandfather's will.

* * *

He's breathless with shock and surprise, his heart pounding frantically against his chest. His parents are silent with fury, their anger surprising and at the same time, not. He had expected this. There was a pleased glow from his emancipation that refused to go away, and as he was getting ready to leave, he said one more thing to his parents.

"You owe me rent." William informed them crisply, before turning on his heel and leaving.

The next day was a happier event, William flitting around, purchasing his companions new items he was sure that they would like. He was not cheap, preferring durable over flimsy. They had saved his life repeatedly, and now he had a chance to express his gratitude to them fully. William was about to leave, purchases in hand, when he caught sight of familiar brown. He jogs over, and he's greeted with the sight of streaming tears. He sits next to Ulrich, wrapping a slim arm around his waist and helping him stand properly. He doesn't ask why Ulrich's crying, instead wrapping up presents while he waits for his friend to speak. Ulrich's bag is by his feet, and he picks it up gingerly, noting the wear and tear. Ulrich falls asleep on the couch, a blanket covering his lower body. William talks to Odd briefly, before resuming his attempts to cheer Ulrich up.

He fails spectacularly.

* * *

When the doorbell rung at eight the next evening, William was surprised as he answered the door to a silent, furious Odd Della Robbia. Odd greets him with a quick kiss to the cheek, before stalking into the room Ulrich has unofficially claimed as his. William was preparing coffee when a slap sounds from upstairs, prompting William to almost drop the coffee pot. As it is, he pours a little too much of the caffeinated beverage into his cup, so that he has to sip at it briefly until the level has lowered far enough for him to pick it up and finish the cup. He blinked when Odd came down looking oddly pleased with himself. Ulrich shows up only a few minutes later, a bright red handprint accompanied by the spark of life in his amber eyes. William gives Ulrich a smile, one that is reciprocated for the first time in two days. He raises an eye at Odd, who simply chuckles at him, raising a cup of coffee in mock salute that William returns, lips twitching.

The rest of them were informed in short order, and they, one after another, arrived in William's house, each claiming a room to call their own. Yumi took greatly to the only tower room, and Aelita took to the oval room. Jeremie, to nobody's surprise, claimed a decent-sized room next to what would surely one day be a library. Odd took one near to the kitchen, again to nobody's surprise. Ulrich was close to William, who had the room closest to the door. Ulrich usually doesn't stay in his room during the nights, and William had woken up more than once in Ulrich's quiet embrace. He never said anything about it, but on Christmas Eve, William invites Ulrich into his bed.

* * *

_The way his eyes lit up made William realize he needed the love more than anyone could have dreamed_.

* * *

Christmas morning was a loud, cheery affair, filled with laughter and life where before there was stale silence between a young boy and a war veteran. They shared gifts, and each oohed and awed over their new items.

* * *

_It wasn't until February that the fragile peace was torn apart_.

* * *

William sighed softly, lips curved into a smile as he tightened the rope to the hanging pole. His skin, much to his irritation, refused to darken, instead growing paler and paler. He stretched out, before grabbing the rope and lowering himself down into the cavern. Jogging smoothly, William jumped over some holes and collapsed poles, lighting a flare on his way. The first sign of something wrong was the sudden screaming.

The second was the most certainly _not_ human monster trying to eat him. He sprinted away from it as fast as possible, stumbling slightly and getting a rip in his jeans for his troubles. Jumping over the edge, he landed, gasping in pain as his bloody knee was abused further. The monster tried to skid to a stop and went through the wall. William kept moving; sure it would find him once more.

* * *

_He was right, but not for the reasons he knew. William reeked of Lyoko's Xana. In its eyes, he _burned.

* * *

He was pinned down, unable to escape the final liberation that its snapping jaws promised. One bloodied hand grabbed the lead pipe, smashing the metal against its skull. It burst apart; a crystal landing in his palm. To his shock and surprise, it proceeded to attach to his necklace, and nothing he did could take it off. He scowled, but ended up leaving it alone. His success was not without tragedy.

* * *

_Out of the twenty students that entered, only William made it out alive_.

* * *

Poor Lyoko Warriors. I torture them so horribly.

PS. Review


	5. TRUCE

Code Lyoko Whims of a Supercomputer

Anyone catch the Tomb Raider Reference?  
It's also here, along with Indy James (Indiana Jones) accompanying Sara Craft (Lara Croft)

* * *

William stumbled as another bout of dizziness smashed his fractured focus even further apart. Tumbling to his knees, William gasped, choking on air even as Ulrich's hands steadied his frame. He could barely walk towards the infirmary, so Ulrich carried his companion, settling him on the first bed he could find. A cold, tanned hand touched his forehead reassuringly. The others soon became worried, knowing that William would tell them sooner or later, but still fussed after his health. In March, Jeremie coaxed the school system into making them roommates. He was grateful to his best friends.

* * *

Each spell was worse than the last, and with each, William's nightmares grew worse until he couldn't even close his eyes. Ulrich took to knocking him out frequently, in an attempt to calm the restless teenager. Jeremie rarely left his side in those darker days, and Yumi accompanied him to every class, fingers squeezing his shoulder gently and affectionately. It was some time before he managed to actually stand after a spell, but he was recovering faster and faster each time. Xana had been suspiciously quiet, something all of them were on high alert for.

* * *

Early Friday afternoon, the students were out in the courtyard, chatting and laughing as normal, when a sudden surge of energy froze every student in sight, stealing away their color. Frightened, William looked around for his companions, finding them frozen as well, shimmering with a faint echo of color. He reached his fingers out to them . . .

* * *

And woke up, startled awake from his spot on the bench. The students were walking, chatting, and even laughing as if nothing had happened. William closed his eyes, pressing the heel of his hands against his eyes, recalling the feel of searching for his companions. He glanced up, and found everyone frozen yet again. This time, he picked up his bag and looked around, intent on finding Jeremie or Ulrich. A bright gold dot appeared, and then a blue one, speeding off towards their meeting place, and intrigued, William followed. The lines sparkled and danced, directing him playfully towards his siblings. He paused for a moment, noticing that everyone wasn't frozen, simply moving very, very slowly, before flipping his sketchbook open to jot that down as a note. He continued on, and before much time had passed, was in their meeting room. Both Jeremie and Ulrich were bent over a computer, Ulrich laughing at something Jeremie had said. His eyes shimmered gold, the only spot of color on his body, and Jeremie's glowed blue. He stepped forward, tugging Ulrich's sleeve as color faded back in. He didn't anticipate their reaction.

Ulrich jumped nearly a foot and a half, spiraling around to take in a slightly pale William, who was breathing rather unsteadily.

"Ulrich," William's voice was plaintive and child-like. "What did that thing do to me?"

* * *

It's later in that evening when Xana (_but not Xana_) strikes, sending a plane hurtling towards the school. Unlike some of the other missions, this one became suddenly very, very time sensitive, with only a half hour before the impending crash. They slipped away during the evacuation, running down the halls as fast as their feet can take them, ignoring the skateboards. They had so little time to waste. It wasn't long before they burst into the factory; each of them winded and exhausted, even Ulrich, from the hard pace.

When they enter Lyoko, it becomes automatically obvious the subject of Xana's troubles. There is an unusual army of monsters that look nothing like the regular ones, each one fighting it out furiously. They sneak around, moving fast to avoid being caught by the large white wraiths. They see two active towers; Xana's is closer, but to their dismay, none of them but William can enter it, skidding to a stop on the inside. It's remarkably elegant, and he's forced to jump back at the alarmed message that Xana is typing. He scans the text, irritation turning to alarm. He spins around to run back out, yanking them towards the other tower without preamble, knowing from the stories his companions tell him that Xana would be too proud to lie about something so serious. The words blink brightly in his mind, and he repeats them to his companions, who run faster.

* * *

**HACKED** is Xana's message as it blinks over and over, bright red in the tower that they left behind to move towards the grey-wreathed one.

* * *

Xana's monsters are an honor guard, no longer against them, but instead for them, taking deadly hits at Xana's command. It's not the first time that they have worked side by side according to the others, but it is the first that is so poisonous in its consequences. They make it to the tower with minutes to spare, and Aelita is already inside, having been escorted personally by her own honor guard. Bloks are stacked up in a wall, but they spread apart to admit the other four before closing with a snap. Odd is already ascending, handguns at the ready as they fire relentlessly over and over, sniping at the flying wraiths with pinpoint accuracy.

* * *

Outside, in the real world, the students were watching with open-mouthed surprise as a strange red mist surrounded the incoming plane, yanking it up just enough to safely crash-land the jet.

* * *

Inside, Jeremie breathes a sigh of relief, but a message from Xana dissuades him from the RTTP, something that drove him to spill his coffee.

**NOT SAFE DANGEROUS LETHAL** all spill out in lines on the computer screen.

**TRACKING DEVICE WILL ENABLE IF RETURN TO THE PAST ACTIVATES.** Jeremie groaned, but typed his answer.

_Understood,_ Jeremie typed crisply. He frowned at the screen. Why would Xana help them anyways?

**TRUCE,** Xana declared in red, **CARTHAGE TOO DANGEROUS TO FIGHT ALONE**. Jeremie's fingers froze over the keyboard in shock.

_What is Carthage?_ Jeremie typed swiftly in return. The screen remained blank for a moment and Jeremie feared that Xana had left.

**CARTHAGE IS SISTER PROGRAM,** Xana answered hastily, the words appearing quickly. **TALK MORE LATER,** Xana declared. **I AM TIRED FROM FIGHTING SISTER PROGRAM.** Xana blinked away, and Jeremie blew out a breath as files began to pop up at an alarming speed. He downloaded them onto his flash drive, biting his lip. Oh please let this not be a joke.

* * *

William frowned slightly, sitting on the sill as they all listened to Jeremie's conversation. They were all reading the files Jeremie printed out for them, each one filled with numerous details on projects LYOKO and CARTHAGE.

"This just got a lot more complicated," Aelita sighed quietly, frowning. "I mean, Xana's been trying to kill us. What's stopping him from joining Carthage in killing us?" William pursed his lips together.

"The file here says that Xana was made after Carthage to contain the project." Ulrich answered quietly. "Likely his destructive measures were his way of searching for Carthage." Jeremie scowled at the paper.

"Then what the hell is Cortex?" William tugged at his necklace absently, feeling it warm under his fingertips. He glanced at the faintly glowing pendant. He whispered the word, drawing their attention to the crystal as it glowed in response. He held it up.

"Maybe it's one of these?" He suggested, the crystal glittering playfully, as if hiding a secret. "I mean, Xana was one of the names scratched onto the wall in the cave," William offered out carefully, tugging on the necklace again as it glowed merrily. They all sat up straighter at the mention of the event.

"Were there more?" Jeremie asked quietly. William nodded, fishing out his cellphone. It had been lucky enough to survive the experience intact.

"About three dozen," William confirmed. "And Xana's is the top of the list. The rest look like gibberish to me, except this one," William pointed to it. "The Unnamed," The crystal whistled brightly, before settling down. "Oh!" William jumped in surprise. "Can you read any of the others?" William asked quietly, offering out the photo to them. Ulrich identified two, writing it down with some sort of coordinates. Jeremie managed one, Aelita three, and Yumi and Odd both matched Ulrich's two.

"So we have an archaic coordinate system and names that only we can read. Does this feel a little like Indy James to anyone yet?" Odd asked wryly, drawing snickers from them all.

"Sara Craft comes to mind, actually," Aelita supplied, lips twitching in mirth. "Though we don't have the funds for globe-trotting," Aelita said mournfully. William shook his head at them all.

"You don't," William agreed quietly. "I do." Their eyes turned to him, and stunned silence followed for a few moments. "I can supply the money, if we have to travel. It was part of my inheritance. My solicitor wouldn't think twice about me taking some friends around the world." A ping startled everyone out of staring at him. Jeremie picked up his laptop, which had gotten a match on the strange coordinates.

"It looks like most of these are in Asia," Jeremie said finally. "It looks like that one you've got –" His hand pointed at Ulrich absently – "Is in Russia."


	6. Russia and the MIB

Code Lyoko Whims of a Supercomputer Chapter 6 - Russia and the MIB

**SUPER IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE!**

There's a short timeskip here, from which not much happens until school is over.

Eventually I'll put up some drabbles for this story, but just a little notice; this was inspired by a horror movie, so the next chapters are going to be very dark.

Also, the suggested listening material for this chapter is simple: 'Monster' by Meg&Dia or the RWBY White Trailer theme 'Mirror Mirror' was the inspiration.

Also, beware of Chekhov's Gun. Pay attention!

* * *

_1h40m Irkutsk Time in Russia_

* * *

William smirked at a violently shivering Ulrich. Upon receiving a one-fingered salute, he grinned shamelessly at him.

"Be happy that it summer even in Russia. I'm sure you'd die if it was winter," William laughed, making Ulrich glare harder. "C'mon," William gestured expansively, leading the shivering teenager onwards.

"_It's a lucky thing Xana's on our side for this,_" Jeremie's voice was clear, but both boys still shivered slightly. "_I'd hate to find out how nasty that thing in the cave would be otherwise._" Ulrich nodded, glancing up at the sheer cliffs.

"Coming with me?" Ulrich asked. William shook his head.

"No, sorry, you'll have to go it alone." William tells him sympathetically. Ulrich smiles slightly at his companion before climbing up the icy slope to enter the cave.

* * *

It had a newcomer? _It watched the two-leg climb in, eyeing it as it would another tasty treat. He was an attractive one, even by its standards, a curve of graceful predator. It followed after him, only to be warned off. He burned with the blessing of another; a sure death sentence to munch on him now. He pulled out one of those metal-light things, pointing it at the wall of names that listed its kin around the world. Whatever it was that the two-leg had in mind it obviously was not just that, for he trudged deeper into its cave, his body poised to either flee or fight like any good predator. As he went deeper, it realized it was after its crystal!_

* * *

Ulrich shuddered. Was it just him, or was it getting warmer in here? He shrugged aimlessly, trudging onwards dutifully, even as ice melted around him. He shrugged off his jacket after a while; the heat would cook him from the inside out otherwise. Lean legs gently tapped against the stone floor, and he had to skid to a stop and shade his eyes. The room was full of dazzling crystal, the compounds made in melted ice. His lips pursed together; this was new. He shrugged again to himself, descending.

He was soon soaked in sweat, and he walked onwards through the crystal halls. A slim fingertip touched his headset, turning it back on. He said nothing for a while, instead making his way through the steadily warming cave, glad for the gloves when his fingers touched icy rock. Ulrich yelped, forgetting that he was currently live.

"_Ulrich, is something wrong?_" William's voice is concerned; Ulrich couldn't help but smile at the lovely worry he showed as he pulled off a glove to treat the frosted finger.

"No, nothing's wrong. Just a little surprised by the rock," Ulrich answered absently, sticking a fingertip in his mouth to soothe away the frosty burn. "It's still cold as hell." A quiet snort answered that statement.

"_Klutz,_" William's voice is affectionate. Ulrich laughs.

* * *

_Through the crystal, it reared away, staring at those amber eyes in genuine fright. _He was not one of the Divine. He was one of the Damned, those so deeply touched by a crystal that something in them was irreparably broken.

* * *

Ulrich got through without any problems, and idly wondered if it was going to always be that easy.

* * *

_Ha-ha, Jinxed it._

* * *

Ulrich woke up to an empty room and splitting headache, the crystal that he had gotten wrapped around his throat.

* * *

It's a little late, but better late than never. The final words are up to you to figure out who said it.


	7. An Old Friend

Without further Adeiu, Chapter 7! . . . I think.

* * *

He was alone, the static from the earpiece making him wince as he sat up straight. Fingers rubbed his temples, a soothing warmth leaving them to reduce the pain of his mind. He observed his new 'quarters' mildly, realizing that he was underground. It was made of a different crystal to the one around his neck, and he sighed, touching the crystal around his throat wearily.

"-rich? Ulrich?" William's voice came through the earpiece, and he eagerly responded.

"I'm okay, just trapped." Ulrich told him firmly as his fingers pressed the edges of the crystal container. At his touch, it melted away into thin air, and he got a proper look around. "Never mind." Ulrich deadpanned. "I'm in deep shit."

"What? Why?" William's voice went from alarmed to terrified. For Ulrich to use those words, he was in genuine trouble.

"I'm in MIB headquarters." A string of expletives left the receiver on Jeremie's end as the sound of typing tapped even faster.

"Fuck." William didn't need to bother with much. His word accurately summed up the entire situation. "I'll see if I can track you. In the meantime, figure out your crystal and run." Ulrich nodded, sliding off his sneakers and running in his socks. It wasn't difficult to hide from them, and later, Ulrich realizes that's part of his crystal's specialty. Soft feet step past a small room, but he freezes at the childish scream of agony that leaves it. Ulrich peeks in, and almost freezes. It's a familiar little girl. Taelia is chained to the wall, broken and bloody. Ulrich wishes he could help, but the way her body goes limp after the next shock is enough to remind him that she's likely almost dead. No amount of Aelita's healing could save her now, even with a RTTP.

He's suddenly glad that he doesn't understand Russian, but a dark series of mutterings makes him wince. _William _is half Russian, and his freaking out over the intercom was getting to him. He passes other rooms that are similarly full, and he's sickened when he sees clones made for William. The swearing is getting lower from William's end of the line, and once he manages to reach the top of the floor, William falls silent. Ulrich is running again, as gunshots fire after him. He catches sight of an open door and he's out. It was easy from there to hijack some decent clothes, grabbing the hat after a moment's hesitation. It could be useful. Jamming the hat low on his head, he starts running.

"Ulrich!" Jeremie's voice is panicked. "Get somewhere high, away from lead." He complies, jumping onto the side of the snowy mountain, shifting his weight upwards and scaling the sheer cliff. It isn't long before he's over, and he sees William, crystal glowing at his throat with a furious light, and William's vivid red eyes glance over his skinny frame.

"I almost couldn't find you," William breathed, grabbing his hand tightly. "C'mon." William knew the way out, weaving through guards and electronics with ease, moving almost too fast for Ulrich to keep up.

* * *

Odd was shaking, eyes on the black screen in front of him, their vivid purple glazed with worry. His own retrieved crystal was hanging from his neck, flickering wildly as he worriedly refused to peel his eyes away from the screen.

"They're almost out," Jeremie reassured his fellow blond.

* * *

It was a little less than an hour later when William and Ulrich entered William's childhood home, still chill from the weather of Russia. William is already rushing off to find a medical kit when Ulrich stops him, shaking his head gently.

"I'm healed," Ulrich told him affectionately, gesturing to the closed gash in his arm. William fusses anyways, wiping down the wound and patching it up. "Jeremie?" Ulrich asks finally, now that he notices the sound of typing starting up again.

"_Sorry,_" Jeremie's voice was regretful on the other end. "_Just talking to XANA. He's in a bit of a state right now,_" Jeremie explained patiently to the two listening boys. "_Carthage managed to get back into the supercomputer, but thankfully I got there in time to help drag out the data it was trying to corrupt. I've got backups in about twenty-nine portable hard drives._" More tapping. "_Hurry back to France,_" Jeremie added. "_We've got more to deal with._"

* * *

_Well, he wasn't kidding . . ._

* * *

Sorry about the late update, I've been busy moving, and I rather neatly wrote myself into a tiny, GLADOS-infested corner.

No, I have not yet played Portal. Wish I had though.


End file.
